Why Did They Disappear?

[MyVisionity]

However, Piccolo Daimaou did act as if he never knew anything about the dragon balls until Pilaf told him, so maybe it has something to do with having a pure heart (which would explain why Goku asked Piccolo if he and Kami could become separate people again). It’s either that, or when the son of Katat split between Kamisama and Piccolo, the part that became Piccolo had no dragon ball creating attributes. I still think that when they fuse it should have given Piccolo those abilities, otherwise the “fusion” is actually just an absorption. Obviously it did give Piccolo some abilities that he didn’t have before such as peaking down on the lower world (not sure what you would call that ability) as well as greater wisdom.

I wouldn't imagine that Piccolo Daimaou, being a demon, could ever create something like the Dragon Balls. As for him not knowing, well, Kami-sama did create them after Piccolo was born, and before that he never knew he even had that ability. And yeah, seeing as how Namekian fusion is an absorption, it would make sense that Piccolo might gain the power for making Balls, but I suppose Mr.Toriyama decided against that path. I think the story's focus should have been on finding a new Kami, but they used the Dragonballs and Dende to get there, and as a result, we have the Piccolo question raised.

As I mentioned before, I’m not sure if Toriyama kept it straight about what he was trying to do since before, Piccolo said that after they joined they would lose the ability to look down on the lower world, and yet they retained it. After they joined, he also said that he was no longer Piccolo, but then when Goku made the Kamiccolo joke, he said that he was still Piccolo. So I’m not really sure what to make of it all, but whatever. Obviously Toriyama wanted to bring in Dende, nor did he want Piccolo to be connected with the dragon balls, so either way, people probably wouldn’t have noticed.

As for Piccolo saying they would lose the ability to look over the lower world, I took that as meaning that with Kami-sama gone, Piccolo would be down in the lower world fighting, instead of watching from up above. And the quote with Piccolo claiming he was neither Kami or Piccolo any longer seemed to mainly be put in for dramatic effect. That kind of dialogue continued for the next few episodes throughout his fight with Imperfect Cell, as if Piccolo and Kami had reunited and become their old self, which isn't really the case. Like you said, Toriyama probably couldn't keep things straight, and it would have been harder trying to write for a character with a new identity anyway.

[M-Vegeta]

This how I would explain it:

[Socar15]

If it is a purity thing, then Piccolo is far from being pure. Without Nail and Kami, Piccolo is pretty much a bad guy with the ability to care about those he loves. To an extent, that would apply to Freeza and Cold, but it wouldn't mean they're both good.

Well, Kamisama did specifically say that the evil in Piccolo's heart had all but disappeared. Considering that Nail said that Piccolo's personality wouldn't be changed when they fused (which it really didn't), I don't think Piccolo is all that far from being pure just by himself. Furthermore, even back in the Saiyajin arc, if Piccolo had been all that bad, he wouldn’t have gotten to go to train with Kaiousama after he was killed by Nappa.

As for Namekkian fusion, it pretty much *is* just an absorption. Nail told Piccolo that, Kami told him that. Sure he acquired a few personality traits, but those were assimilated too.

But Piccolo did tell Imperfect Cell that it was "god's wisdom" when he tricked him into talking. And he did get the ability to look down on the lower world. So it's obviously a little more than some personality traits. And it's one thing to just be acting a little dramatic, but to actually tell Cell that "I'm not Piccolo", that implies that he was indeed changed, even though he did eventually tell Goku that he kept the name Piccolo.

From what I remember didn't Piccolo just refuse the job as guardian of Earth? I thought at one point earlier in the series he was offered the postition but just didn't want to do it.

If I remember correctly, that was only in the anime (at the start of the Garlic Jr. saga I believe).

As for Piccolo saying they would lose the ability to look over the lower world, I took that as meaning that with Kami-sama gone, Piccolo would be down in the lower world fighting, instead of watching from up above.

Perhaps, but when Piccolo says "lose", that doesn't imply that they simply wouldn't be in a position to use it, but that they wouldn't have the technique. It’d be another thing if he had just said “lose that advantage” or something like that. Plus, Piccolo even told Mr. Popo that he would be back, so he knew he would return eventually.

Like you said, Toriyama probably couldn't keep things straight, and it would have been harder trying to write for a character with a new identity anyway.

Yeah, Toriyama actually has a history of not staying consistent from volume to volume.

[BlaZin]

If I remember correctly, that was only in the anime (at the start of the Garlic Jr. saga I believe).

Yeah I think your right. But the point I was trying to make is still true, I don't think he wanted to be guardian. You can sense that throughout the whole series up to right when Kami and him fused. I know Piccolo isn't exactly the same as his predecessor, but when him and Kami did fuse it was akin to when they were whole again from the time Kami spilt with his evil self all those years ago. So I think after their fusion, there was a sense to still look out over the Earth you know. It was like instinct, instinct to return to Kami’s Lookout and keep a watchful eye just as Kami had did before hand. Call it a desire or yearning, Kami's individual self must of had some kind of influence over Piccolo.

[Akira]

I know many of you disregard Dragonball GT, but if you take that into consideration, then that adds another aspect to this explanation.

During the Cell saga, when Kami Piccolo and Daimao Piccolo Junior remerged, the Black Star Dragonballs revived at that point in thier alter in the storage room of the temple. Piccolo may or may not have remembered about them, or probably didn't care for anyone to know about them if he did.

The point is, he already had his own set of Dragonballs that revived at that time. He likely knew of thier destructive potential and chose to leave them remain a secret like so many of the items in that storage room. He left it up to Goku to decide about the Red Star Balls and the candidate for the next guardian.

Goku wanted the Red Star Balls and Shenron revived, and those were the only Dragonballs he knew of aside from the original set on Namek. His choice was highly influenced by reviving the Dragonballs, and Dende fit that role nicely. When Kami Piccolo disappeared by remerging with Daimao Piccolo Junior, then Piccolo wanted nothing to do with being guardian, it did fall to Goku to decide on a new guardian.

Goku had the right to decide the next guardian of the earth because of what Kami had once offered him and because he'd saved the earth so many times.

I would agree with you though that he did not decide it because of that reason though. He just wanted the dragonballs revived and did what was necessary to facilitate that need.